Eighty looters ransacked a Nordstrom store in California's Bay Area on Saturday night, injuring at least three employees in a raid that lasted less than a minute.
The large group, reportedly wearing ski masks and carrying crowbars, rushed the Walnut Creek store, stole an undetermined amount of merchandise and fled in their vehicles.
During the theft, two Nordstrom workers were punched and kicked, while another was sprayed with pepper spray. All three individuals were treated for their injuries on scene and have since been released.
Walnut Creek police have arrested three people in connection to the incident and are facing various charges including robbery, conspiracy, burglary, possession of stolen property and a weapons charge.
Eighty looters ransacked a Nordstrom store in California's Bay Area on Saturday night, injuring at least three employees in a raid that lasted less than a minute
The large group, reportedly wearing ski masks and carrying crowbars, rushed the Walnut Creek store, stole an undetermined amount of merchandise and fled in their vehicles
Dozens of officers responded to the scene around 9pm after Walnut Creek police received reports that approximately 80 people had run into the Nordstrom store and began looting and smashing shelves.
NBC Bay Area reporter Jodi Hernandez, who witnessed the raid, shared several videos of the incident on Twitter.
She said approximately 25 cars were blocking the street as the gang of thieves stormed the store, some brandishing weapons.
Video shows the looters running down the street with bags and boxes holding presumed stolen goods before entering their getaway vehicles.
'There was a mob of people,' Brett Barrett, who works at a nearby P.F. Chang's restaurant, told CBS San Francisco. 'The police were flying in. It was like a scene out of a movie. It was insane.'
Approximately 25 cars were blocking the street as the gang of thieves stormed the store
An officer is shown pointing their weapon at what appears to be a car of suspected looters
Although most of the raiders managed to flee, police managed to arrest at least two of the suspected looters. The suspects are facing various charges including robbery, conspiracy, burglary, possession of stolen property and a weapons charge
He continued: 'I had to start locking the front door. Locking the back door. You never know, they could come right in here. It was crazy…All the guests inside were getting concerned. It was a scary scene for a moment.'
Although most of the raiders managed to flee, police managed to arrest at least two of the suspected looters. Video even shows an officer pointing their gun at one of the drivers.
Walnut Creek
